A Week of Fun for the LIONS!

LOS ANGELES, Calif. -
The final week of October proved to be an exciting time for the Lions as they participated in three activities that took them far outside the comfort zone of their sports. In what could be called "Spirit Week" for the athletics program, the teams participated in Midnight Madness, Booling, and Fright Night. Two of the three events were for charity, and the athletes wasted no time supporting the specific causes.

Starting with Midnight Madness, the annual celebration of the men's and women's basketball teams' first official practice, the other athletic teams put their dance skills to the test as they engaged in an inter-sport dance competition. With accompanying dances from the Orientation leaders and many other (much more legitimate) dance clubs on campus, the night was a combination of lights, cameras and "actions." The specific "actions" that resulted with the most attention were those of the LMU Softball team. Their well choreographed and performed routine led them to win first place in the dance contest, closely followed by great performances by both men's and women's basketball. Every team that competed put in great effort and had a great time, despite the success of their performance (sorry men's soccer).

Barely three days after the exciting Madness event, the fall spirit kicked into high gear as the teams dressed up for Booling, in which the student-athletes meet up for a fun night of bowling while wearing team themed costumes. Each year there is both a team and individual costume contest. Defending its two-year title was the softball team, which dressed up as various characters from the Wizard of Oz. Their creativity earned them first place, yet again. Second place was given to the women's water polo team who were dressed as secret service agents sworn to protect Casey Flacks their teammate, and President of SAAC. Softball's Sam Fischer won the individual contest accurately dressed as the Scarecrow from Wizard of Oz.

Having almost the entire bowling alley available to them, the athletic teams shared lanes with various LMU service organizations and clubs such as Ignations and Underwings. In order to get into the event, each person had to bring two items of canned goods that were donated to the Guadalupe Homeless Project, the only all men's shelter in East LA. Over 300 cans of food were donated, as well as a few hoodie sweatshirts that will go towards our upcoming winter hoodie drive.

Last but not least, the Lions ended the festive week with Fright Night! In charge of the event was Kimiko Miyashima, one of the Lead SAM's (Student-Athlete Mentor) and a member of the women's soccer team, working with other organizations on campus to put together a day of trick-or-treating, games, pumpkin decorating, haunted houses and candy--lots of candy--for children from underprivileged areas of Los Angeles. As the school buses pulled up, dozens of smiling kids in costumes filed out to be greeted by Iggy the Lion. The athletes hosted a basketball game, dunk-tank, three-legged race, and soccer station, sharing smiles and laughter with the children for hours.

The LMU Athletics Department looks forward to these three events during each fall semester, because we were able to work together with other on-campus organizations and clubs. We succeeded in expanding our campus-wide spirit and will continue to share in the common goal of striving for greater LMU pride.